Improvement in coffin-cases



H. EAST.

CUFFIN-CASE.

PatenteaFeb-15, 187s.

.g l 1 F n L rILIIIL l .llllllllilllL. i l I l l |||l Inve ntor:

ifm. PHOTDJJTNOGRAPHER. WASHINGIDN. D. C.

'UNTTED STATES PATENT HENRY EAST, 0E RooEEsTER, NEw YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN COFFlN-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,397, dated February 15, 1876; application filed December 30, 1875. A

To all whom tmc-ty concern:

,Be it known that 1, HENRY EAST, of the city of Rochester, inthe county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented cerf tain new and usef'ul Improvements in Cottin' Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is'a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and make use Y of the invention, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this specitication, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon, in which like letters refer to like parts l throughout the same, and on which- Figure 1 represents a top view or plan of the invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudi nal vertical section of the invention through the line o 0. Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical section of the invention.

My invention relates to a case for inclosin g coflins during funeral ceremonies. The object of my invention is `to furnish a case representing an ornamented coffin or casket, more or less expensivafor inclosing and transporting a cheaper coffin or casket, the case to accompany the hearse on all occasions, and to inclose the coffin when lying in state and during the funeral ceremonies, which, for the purpose of interment, after the case is placed over the grave, is, unseen to but few, released from the case, and let down into the grave, leaving the impression and answering all the purposes 'of an interment in an ornamented casket.

My invention is designed to answer all the purposes', invevery respect, from iirst to last, including lying in state to lowering the coffin 4in the grave, of a costly and expensive coffin,

A represents one end of the case, which,v

as both endsA arealike, is deemed suiiicient to illustrate the invention. rlhis case is constructed of any preferred contour, size, or ornamentation, or of any material, and without the usual bottom. L shows the lid drawn back, as in exhibiting a corpse previous to burial,- and serves to illustrate the invention ,also without dotted lines. G represents a section of the coffin, resting on the rolls r of the slideframe S, which is of metal, rectangular, constructed in any preferred manner, and operated on metal bea-rings affixed in the head of the case and said rolls 1* by the handleslH, which handles it is intended shall, when the slide is in the case, fold into a recess in the head of the case. These rollsV r act on journals formed on the projecting ends of the front cross-bar o f the slide-frame and inthe grooves g, which are sunk for the purpose in the lower inside edges of the sides of the case,

and have a met-al bottoni of any sheet metal fastened to the bottoln edge of the cases sides, which forms a metal track for the slide-rolls.

lf preferred, the rolls are left off, in which event the grooves are reduced to suit the journals, and the frame entire slides in the grooves, instead of the rear end only sliding.

It is supposed there are more than one size of cases, and the slide -frame extends into eaehrto suit the ease; but they must, to prevent accident, go fairly beyond the end of the coffin.

4For the purpose of securing differentlength cofns against side or end wise oscillation after being placed in the case, there are retaininge ,plates p adjusted in the notches a, formed in the top edges of the side bars of the slide.- frame, the buttons b or equivalent device, in the meantime, preventing an outward, and the wood between the bars an inward, movement of the frame. Ou the lid of the case there is a metal wreath, h, provided with ianges fon securing the usual plate.

When laid in the case, therolls receive the full weight of the colin. ln their absence the coflin rests entirely on the frame.

To release the frame for withdrawal preparatory to lowering the coffin out of the case into the grave, as theycase is placed on the bars lying over across the grave, the cleats t,

first secured to the coffins bottom, coming a little below the rase, firstcome in contact with the bars over the grave, and receive the weight of the cofn, when the case also immediatelyl drops onto said bars, completely releasing the slide-frame and the casefrom .the cof n.' The appliances for loweringthe coiiu out of the case into the grave are adjusted for receiving its weight, and the bars are taken'fron'i under the cofn and placed under the ends of the case, when the coiin is .lowered out of the same, exposing it to but a few persons, for by the time, in its descent, it is out of the case: it is so much below the surface as tobe out ot' view except to'thos'e directly around, which attains the object of keeping up appearances, at the same time from twenty-five to seventyve per cent. of the ordinary expense of a casket or coffin is saved. y

Thus having described my invention in cofncases, what l claim, and wish to secure of the United States by Letters Patent, is-

An exterior bottomless cofln, provided at each end with adjustable devices for holding presence of these two witnesses, subscribed my hand this 27th day of December, A. D. 1875,

' HENRY EAST.

Witnesses:

BENJ. F. PARSONS, HENRY. J. Rmrz. 

